On 7 October 2023, a series of powerful earthquakes struck Herat, Western Afghanistan, claiming thousands of lives, destroying homes, roads, and schools—critical infrastructure that once connected and gave hope of a better life for Afghan communities. Among the damaged buildings was Chahar Dara High School, where 9-year-old Sunbul, a third grader who dreams of becoming a teacher, studied. For Sunbul, going to school was a constant fear, but still, she continued to attend classes. “There were cracks everywhere, in walls, in the roof, in hallways, and everywhere,” she recalls. “It made me feel unsafe, and I was not able to focus on my lessons.”Herat’s harsh, windy climate, locally called 120-day winds, worsened the situation, leaving Sunbul and her classmates exposed to various hazards. “Windows were broken,” she says. “On windy days, dust filled the classroom, and I could hardly breathe.”For Sunbul and hundreds of other students, the earthquake didn’t just crack walls, it disrupted their access to safe and available education. Without functioning buildings, toilets, or drinking water taps, being at school and learning became nearly impossible. Rebuilding these structures became a high priority to restore normalcy after the earthquake.  Echoing Sunbul’s thoughts, her teacher, Ms. Tahira Roshan, commented, “The earthquake created a distressing sight and raised fears among students in the schools.” Acknowledging the anxiety felt by their parents, she continued, “I observed that many families were concerned about their children’s safety at school.”Hope returned when UN-Habitat, with support from the Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (STFA), launched a school rehabilitation project in Herat. Through this initiative, eight earthquake-hit schools were repaired, and six new ones are under construction — providing safer learning spaces for more than 16,800 students, both girls and boys – every year.The project prioritized earthquake- and climate-resilient construction, improved ventilation, and used local labor and materials, creating jobs for affected families and fostering community ownership of the schools.“When I first entered the new classroom, it was pure delight,” Sunbul says with a bright smile. “The classroom was rehabilitated, the walls were freshly painted, the fan was running, lights were working, and the blackboard looked perfect. It finally felt like a real classroom.”Renovations also included new toilets and handwashing facilities, which, after the earthquake were unusable, and are now improving hygiene, protecting students’ health. Also, the schools’ rooftops are renovated with new climate-resilient materials like isogam (an anti-moisture and humidity insulator), to prevent rain leakages. Today, Sunbul and her classmates feel both safe and motivated to attend school. “The classrooms are now safer, and everyone feels encouraged to continue their lessons,” she explains. “I always wanted to enjoy my time with classmates and teachers—and now I can.”Looking towards the future, Sunbul dreams of becoming a teacher. “I will not give up my dream. I will keep on trying – and my school gives me hope.”Ms. Tahira, expressing her positive thoughts about the change she has seen in the school since completion of repair works, said: “I have noticed a remarkable improvement in student attendance, with students coming to class regularly. The future of any community depends on the quality of education and achieving that requires a safe and supportive environment.”, thanking the STFA and UN-Habitat, she said.“Building disaster-resilient schools is a crucial step towards advancing the inclusive recovery process in earthquake affected-areas and fostering hope for a better tomorrow of Afghanistan,” says Ms. Stephanie Loose, Country Programme Manager, UN-Habitat Afghanistan. “Afghan girls are being excluded from many parts of public life. Through rebuilding schools, but also improving their living conditions, we stand with them and support their rights in every possible way,” she added. Note: Names (Sunbul and Tahira) are pseudonyms used to protect the individuals’ privacy.

 “It was close to midnight when the ground shook,” recalls Suliman, a farmer from Shumash, a village in the Afghan province of Kunar. “It felt like Judgment Day. People were screaming, homes were collapsing, and in an instant, we lost everything - our families, our fields, even our animals.”On the night of 31 August 2025, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan. Violent aftershocks triggered landslides and blocked roads, cutting off remote communities still reeling from heavy rains and years of hardship.In Suliman’s village, home to nearly 800 families, not a single house remains habitable. Some are hosted under tents in open fields; others moved to temporary camps. Suliman says most families had 10 to 15 animals. Now, they are left with just two or three.“Many were crushed under rubble or swept away by landslides. Without them, we lose not just food, but also the little income we had,” he says.Further south, in the province of Nangarhar, Habibullah surveys the ruins of his village, Atran.“The earthquake destroyed everything,” Habibullah says. “Our maize fields are damaged, the water channel is in ruins, and even the fruit trees have dried up. Our animals died too; their shelters are destroyed. With winter coming, we fear losing the few that remain.”Like with Suliman and Habibullah, the earthquake struck communities already facing years of drought, seasonal floods and economic hardship. For returnee families, who had only just come back with little to start over, the disaster has been especially harsh. Even before 31 August, nearly 950 000 people in these provinces were projected to face acute food insecurity. That figure is now expected to rise sharply. Rapid responseIn a region where agriculture and livestock are lifelines, the emergency responses have to be fast and focused.Within days of the earthquake, teams from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) conducted rapid assessments. Speaking directly with affected communities, water access emerged as the most urgent need.Irrigation canals were destroyed or blocked by debris, leaving families without safe drinking water, let alone water for crops or animals. FAO began clearing and restoring canals, racing against time to save standing summer crops like maize and beans that require one last irrigation for a good harvest this month.Beyond the 445 km² of irrigated farmland now at risk, over 500 000 animals face health threats. Stored feed was contaminated by debris, and animal shelters were destroyed. Families who once relied on maize, wheat, beans, rice, milk and meat now struggle to feed their children.Communities appealed for help to restore veterinary services, rebuild animal shelters and restock feed and livestock.In response, FAO and its network of private Veterinary Field Units (VFUs) are treating and vaccinating surviving animals, which remain vital sources of food and income. As of 29 September, FAO has treated 1 163 animals to prevent disease outbreaks.  VFUs have also safely disposed of more than 5 600 animal carcasses in the worst-hit districts of Kunar, preventing zoonotic disease outbreaks and water contamination. FAO teams trekked for hours through mountainous terrain, navigating landslides and debris to reach remote villages.“It takes about three to three and a half hours on foot to reach the site and bury the animals,” says Shamsher, a livestock keeper in Kunar. “But FAO teams are here, helping us.”In addition, planned cash-for-work programmes will employ local labourers to rebuild livestock shelters—putting money directly into families’ hands and stimulating the local economy. Rush for winter harvestWith winter only weeks away, families have a narrow window to prepare their land and protect their animals. Missing this opportunity could mean no harvest next year - and deeper hunger well into 2026.FAO has appealed for USD 23.4 million to ensure these communities have the lifesaving, emergency agricultural assistance they require to cover their basic needs.Meanwhile, a Joint United Nations Rapid Needs Assessment is underway to quantify the damage and losses and guide recovery. FAO is leading the agriculture component, drawing on its technical expertise and deep community presence to assess losses in crops, livestock and irrigation systems.Every day counts to protect food, livelihoods and dignity for farming families who have already endured so much.The rapid response activities to date have been made possible thanks to the generous support of the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) as well as FAO's Special Fund for Emergency and Resilience Activities (SFERA). 

Kabul, Afghanistan – The new oxygen plant – the result of a partnership between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union (EU) –at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH) in Kabul is giving Afghan children a better chance at life. Opened on 6 May 2025, the plant is already making a major difference.It can produce up to 210 oxygen cylinders a day, enough to meet the needs of the hospital and support nearby health centres. For a facility that once depended on unreliable oxygen deliveries, this is a game changer.“There were times when oxygen delivery trucks came late,” said Dr Naimullah Safi, head of IGICH Intensive Care Unit (ICU). “We lost many children during those waiting hours. Children who could have been saved if oxygen had arrived just a bit earlier.”Families were sometimes asked to find oxygen on their own. It was stressful, costly, and heartbreaking for those who couldn’t afford it. Now, the ICU has a steady oxygen supply piped directly to the bedsides. Other departments, like the emergency and cardiac wards, also benefit from the plant thanks to large oxygen balloons that store and distribute the gas where it’s needed.Abdurahim, a father from Parwan province, shared his story: “My 4-year-old son was in the ICU for 8 days with measles and a serious lung infection. He needed oxygen the whole time. The doctors and nurses cared for him so well and with oxygen available he recovered. We are so thankful. It saved his life.”Since the plant opened, the hospital has seen a 30% drop in ICU deaths. It has also saved money by reducing the need for outside oxygen suppliers. And extra oxygen is now being shared with other hospitals in Kabul during emergencies."The oxygen plant, funded by the European Union, stands as a clear testament to the EU's unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of the Afghan people. We are confident it will save countless lives of children," said EU Chargée d’Affaires in Afghanistan Veronika Boskovic Pohar.IGICH medical director Dr Khaibar Sahak notes that “the oxygen plant doesn’t just serve the Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital but is also helping other major hospitals like Wazir Akbar Khan, Afghan-Indonesia and Shaikh Zayed”.WHO Representative in Afghanistan Dr Edwin Ceniza Salvador explained the broader impact. “This oxygen plant is saving children’s lives every day. Doctors can now give the right care when it’s needed and families no longer have to worry if oxygen will arrive on time. This is a major step forward for child health in Afghanistan.”Funded by the EU, the oxygen plant is an example of how solid partnerships and smart investments are helping build a more robust health system in Afghanistan, starting with its youngest and most vulnerable patients.

Kabul, Afghanistan – Hepatitis B is preventable through vaccination, and highly effective and affordable treatments for both hepatitis B and C are now available in generic form. Yet the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that mortality related to hepatitis B and C virus infections is the only instance where deaths from a communicable disease are increasing globally. WHO has set global targets for elimination of the diseases. But in Afghanistan, where years of instability have taken a toll on the health system, hepatitis B and C often remain invisible. The diseases don’t always show clear signs at first, meaning many people live with them for years without knowing. By the time they do find out, it’s often too late.Take 52-year-old Bibi Maryam from Gardiz, Paktia province. She thought her constant tiredness and stomach pain were just stress. “I never imagined it was something serious,” she said, lying on her bed at the National Infectious Disease Hospital in Kabul. “I didn’t even know what hepatitis B was.”What saved Bibi was access to free testing and treatment at the hospital in Kabul. “They treated me with kindness and explained everything. I feel better now,” she said. Widespread misconceptions and a lack of public awareness result in many individuals seeking medical care only after the disease has progressed to a critical stage. To combat hepatitis effectively, there is an urgent need for education, early detection and proactive health care.According to reports by the Afghanistan National Programme for control of AIDS/HIV, STI and Hepatitis (ANPASH), in the first 3 months of 2025, 936 247 people were tested for hepatitis B and C across the country.From 2023 through the first quarter of 2025, more than 67 230 people tested positive for hepatitis B (37 604 men and 29 626 women), and 27 937 cases of hepatitis C were confirmed (14 276 men and 13 661 women). “Hepatitis is a life-threatening and highly infectious disease that is too often ignored,” said Dr Said Adil Niromand, a specialist at the National Infectious Disease Hospital in Kabul. “Most people don’t seek help until it’s too late.”ANPASH is starting to change that. Supported by WHO and other partners, ANPASH has expanded testing, improved care, trained health workers on the latest guidance and is improving access to new, highly effective medication.“We’re seeing more cases every year,” said head of the ANPASH programme Dr Abdur Rahman Shirindil. “We’ve made significant progress under challenging conditions, but to sustain this progress and move closer to eliminating hepatitis in Afghanistan continued support is essential.”“Too many lives in Afghanistan are lost to hepatitis, not because we can’t treat it but because it is often found too late,” said WHO Representative in Afghanistan Dr Edwin Ceniza Salvador. “We’re working closely with national health teams to make early detection and treatment easier to access, especially for those who need it most. But we can’t do it alone. We call on all partners to stand with Afghanistan in breaking down the barriers so that no one suffers or dies from a disease we can prevent and treat.”Bibi’s story is just one among many. It shows how access to testing and treatment saves lives. Without ongoing support from international partners, more lives, including those of women and children, will be lost. Let’s break the silence. Let’s remove the barriers. Let’s stop hepatitis – together. For more information:Dr Malyar Kareemzai, HIV Treatment OfficerANPASH/MoPHm_kareemzai@yahoo.com Modaser Islami, Communication OfficerWHO Afghanistanislamim@who.int